To practice deep breathing, find a quiet place and sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Place your hands over your stomach, just below your ribcage. Take in a long, slow breath as you count to five. Concentrate on pulling the air into your abdomen, rather than just into your chest. Then, hold the breath for a few seconds and exhale it slowly. Keep inhaling and exhaling slowly into your belly for about five to 10 minutes. Assess whether this works well for you. For some people, focusing on breathing, actually causes them to hyperventilate and increases their anxiety.
To practice progressive muscle relaxation, start by laying down someplace comfortable. Close your eyes and then tighten the muscles in your toes by curling your toes under. Then, release the tension in your toes and tense your feet by flexing them. Then, release this tension and move to your calves. Continue to tense and release the muscles in your body one by one until you reach your forehead.
Avoid communicating how you feel via text or social media, try to connect with someone on the phone or face to face. Video chat is another option if you cannot leave your home or place of work.
Go for a walk. Walking is probably the easiest way to get some quick physical activity. Try taking a quick walk around your neighborhood. [7] X Research source Take a yoga class. Yoga provides great strengthening and stretching exercises along with deep breathing and meditation techniques that can help to reduce your anxiety. Dance around in your living room. You don’t even need to go outside to get some exercise. Try putting on some of your favorite music and dancing around your living room or bedroom.
For example, you might imagine that you are sitting in a beautiful meadow in the summer. You might notice beautiful wildflowers all around you, smell the scent of the grass and flowers, hear the sound of a gentle breeze blowing, and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
For example, you could pick up a book and start reading, take a relaxing bubble bath, play with your cat, or organize your desk.
Other essential oils may also provide anxiety reducing results, such as Roman chamomile, clary sage, lemon, and bergamot. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Try listening to some soothing music, such as classical, jazz, or new age, or just listen to something that you enjoy. If none of these strategies work for you, don’t worry. Follow and develop your own interests or try out other ways to de-stress.
What evidence is there to support that something is really wrong? What evidence is there to support that the situation is actually not as bad as it appears? What are the odds that the worst case scenario can actually happen? What are some of the more likely outcomes? How would I advise a friend who had this worry or one similar to it?
Schedule a span of 15 to 30 minutes each day to worry and feel anxious. Ideally, it should be the same time each day and your worrying should be done in the same place. If anxieties come up outside of your worry period, jot those anxieties down on a list. Remind yourself that you will have time to worry about it later. Reflect on your anxieties during your worry period. You may even find that some of your anxieties have disappeared by the time you are ready to worry about them.
The first column can be something like: What is going on? Or, what is the situation? In this column, you can describe where you are, what you are doing, who you are with, etc. The second column can be something like: What am I thinking? In this section, you can write about the anxious thoughts that you are having. The third column can be something like: How anxious am I? For this column, you can just write a number from 1 (not anxious at all) to 10 (extremely anxious) to represent how anxious you feel.
Try saying something like: “This is only a small moment in time. ” Or, “These feelings will not last. ”
To make yourself more aware of the present moment, pay attention to what is happening around you. Who is there? What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel? You may want to practice meditation to become more focused on the present. Meditation is also a great way to reduce anxiety. [18] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
For example, you may want to seek therapy if you have been withdrawing from your friends and family, avoiding certain places out of fear, or having a hard time focusing on work or school because of your anxiety.
For example, you might find that you often think to yourself, “I am going to fail,” and this thought may cause you to feel anxious. With cognitive behavioral therapy, you will learn to identify this thought as it occurs and challenge the thought or change it into something positive, such as “I am going to do my best. ” Cognitive therapy is something that you should only undergo with a licensed therapist. Ask your therapist about using cognitive therapy as part of your treatment plan.
For example, if you are afraid of flying, then you might begin by imagining that you are in an airplane. Over time, you might work up to visiting the airport, taking a short flight, and then, as a final goal, taking a cross-country or overseas flight. [22] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source You should only undergo exposure therapy with the guidance of a licensed therapist. If your fears cause you to feel anxiety, then talk to your therapist about incorporating some exposure therapy into your treatment program.
Benzodiazepines. These are the most common anti-anxiety medications. They work fast to reduce anxiety, but they can be habit-forming. It is best to use these medications for severe anxiety only. Some benzodiazepines include Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam). Antidepressants. Some antidepressants can help to reduce anxiety, but these take about four to six weeks to start working. Some common antidepressants that can help with anxiety include Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Celexa (citalopram). SSRIs help boost serotonin, while SNRIs increase norepinephrine and serotonin. Buspirone. This drug is a mild tranquilizer that takes about two weeks to begin working. It is similar to benzodiazepines, but it is much milder and has fewer side effects. Buspirone is also less likely to be addictive. Beta blockers. Some high blood pressure medications known as beta blockers can also help with the physical symptoms of anxiety. These are considered off-label prescription drugs because beta blockers are mainly prescribed for heart problems and high blood pressure. Some beta blockers include Tenormin (atenolol) and Inderal (propranolol).
Learn how the people in your life affect you. Some people may make your anxiety worse because they are anxious themselves. For example, if you have a friend who worries as much as you do, then she may not be the best person to call when you feel anxious.
If you are a smoker, quit smoking as soon as possible. In addition to increasing anxiety, smoking can cause serious health problems such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, and emphysema. Ask your doctor about smoking cessation programs in your area. Try not to exceed more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. This is about the same as two eight-ounce cups of coffee.
If you tend to binge drink or to drink in excess in response to your anxiety, then you may need to seek help to stop drinking. Talk to your doctor about treatment options.
Include some fish in your diet, such as salmon, which include omega-3s. Consuming foods that contain omega-3s on a regular basis may help with anxiety. Try to reduce your intake of candy, sugary cereals, baked goods, and other high-sugar foods. Instead, opt for a piece of fruit when you want something sweet. Include complex carbohydrates in your diet, such as oatmeal, quinoa, and whole wheat bread. These sources of carbohydrates may increase the level of serotonin in your brain and calm you down as a result. [28] X Research source
dimming the lights taking a warm bath listening to some white noise or soothing music reading a book
